Raindrops
by pretentious-emo-kid
Summary: Tate one shot. Shock! I have written a sincere one that doesn't rely on banter. Kate was there for Tony [this is sort of post SWAK] and now he wants to return the favour. Please R&R. x


Disclaimer – same as ever; I own nothing and no one.

Spoilers for SWAK. Basically, Twilight was just a normal season finale. No Ari, NO dying, etc. Just a nasty case. This is the final couple of scenes _I _would have put in if I was an NCIS writer.

* * *

Not many would think it to look at her, but underneath Kate's innocent, chocolaty features, a hardened agent dwelled. She laughed, and flirted, and shopped like any other woman, but unlike most other women, she had stared death in the face countless times. She was no rookie, and she was fully aware what her job entailed, but despite all this, there was still the odd case that affected her more than she necessarily wanted it to. The sort of cases she knew made Tony wander into a bar that, opposed to his usual 'sleazy end of classy' haunts, was more 'classy end of sleazy'. They were the kind of cases that drove Gibbs to work on his boat until the dawn laced pink streaks in the dark sky, and sent McGee home early to phone his Mom, and see if she was okay.

But, what did Kate when a case made her wonder what the point of it all was? She too had her own special ritual. She would wander lazily down to the nearest park, and settle herself on a bench, and watch. Just watch. She would watch the little old lady on the bench opposite, who would smile as she threw fragments of stale bread to the ducks in the pond. She would watch as children played on the swings, and rode their first bikes. She would watch as happy couples held one another's hands, and sighed contentedly. She would watch, and take a deep breath of fresh, sweet air, and remind herself what she fought to protect every day.

On this particular evening, it was beginning to rain heavily. All around her, people were scrambling for cars and umbrellas, and laughing to one another as they ran for their homes. For a moment, Kate considered following them, but eventually decided against it. She didn't notice the cold or any discomfort, she saw only the little droplets of water that adorned the nearby spider's web, like diamonds. All she could register was the fresh, fragranced smell of the trees and grass, which was so welcome after the stench of blood that had followed her for most of the day.

So, she sat and felt the rain pour, and for the first time that day, she smiled.

However, her moment of tranquillity was interrupted. About twenty feet away, a figure stood studying her intently. Squinting past her own wet eyelashes, she realised that it was Tony. She turned away from him. She had seen a different side to him since the plague incident, but right now she needed to be alone, and she wasn't sure she could put up with his sweet, but misguided attempts to cheer her up.

"_Please keep walking…please keep walking…please keep walking."_

It was then that she felt his hand on her shoulder.

NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tony was the last the leave the bullpen that evening, and it was with a sense of sadness that he watched each of his colleagues hurry home, their goodbyes brief and solemn. On the rare occasions that a case deeply affected the entire team, Tony felt it twice over. The others would go and remind themselves what they were trying to preserve, but for him, _they _were exactly that. He didn't have a family, not really, but the people he worked with sure as hell came close. Gibbs was certainly a father figure; wise and clever, firm but fair. McGee was a long suffering little brother, and Abby was the most eccentric of sisters.

And what about Kate? What kind of family member pretended to have the plague to keep you company? In fact, what kind of _person _did that? He'd always figured that he understood Kate; that she made sense, but since opening that letter he'd been bombarded with more questions about her than he could possibly answer. He couldn't help but frown in confusion as he watched her pack her things and leave.

"See you on Monday, Tony."

"Bye, Kate."

He noticed that she was trembling. He'd seen her upset before, but she hardly ever had that look in her eyes – the one that made her look like a scared child in a world she didn't understand. He scowled deeply; he hated it when his 'family' were upset. Well, she'd been there for him, in a huge way. Maybe it was time to return the favour.

He knew where she was going; the same place she went every time she needed to forget. It was as infamous as Gibbs' boat, and his own womanising.

The park bench.

NCIS NCIS NCIS

For the length of a heartbeat, Kate considered simply ignoring Tony's presence, but there were a ridiculous amount of reasons why that just wasn't practical. So, she did the only thing she could think to do. She patted the space on the bench next to her.

"Take a seat," she invited him, her voice struggling to compete with the thunderous rush of rain.

He did.

For about a minute, they were silent. It was too hard to make yourself heard over the downpour, and neither could really think of what to say. Kate was surprised that she felt quite comfortable with his presence, and was happy not to speak, simply to sit and think.

"Are you okay?" asked Tony, finally.

She studied him seriously. She couldn't determine whether he was enquiring about her state of mind, or her susceptibility to pneumonia.

"I'm fine," she replied. The answer was not a lie on either front.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I guess you're just that predictable," he smiled.

She grinned back.

And then they were silent again. Both watching as the raindrops splashed rhythmically off the surface of the pond.

"Kate," said Tony, seriously, "Why did you stay with me when I was sick?"

Once again, Kate hesitated. She understood the question perfectly, but she wasn't so sure about the answer.

"I guess…" And she made a monumental decision. Sliding across the bench, so that she was directly next to him, their sides pressed against one another, she rested her head on his shoulder, and said, "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it's the same reason you're sat here right now, getting rained on with me."

Tony nodded, realising that the vague answer made perfect sense, and linking his fingers with hers, led her to his car, and home.

* * *

Please review me, people. It makes me smile. x 


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